From Yahoo: "The pharse refers to how someone mistreats their horse. The horse was "ridden hard" (ridden fast and/or over a long distance) and "put away wet" (returned to the stable or corral without having the horse's sweat wiped off with a cloth or blanket.) Prior to the automotive era, everyone would have known what this phrase means."

From Yahoo: "The pharse refers to how someone mistreats their horse. The horse was "ridden hard" (ridden fast and/or over a long distance) and "put away wet" (returned to the stable or corral without having the horse's sweat wiped off with a cloth or blanket.) Prior to the automotive era, everyone would have known what this phrase means."